Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/240



person residing as aforesaid, of his own accord, upon any pretence whatsoever, be permitted, without such passport, to go on board of any of the ships, or vessels, or boats, of the enemy, on the lakes, along the seaboard, or elsewhere within the bays, sounds, rivers, or waters of the United States, or to hold any intercourse with such enemy, or with any officer thereof; nor shall any citizen or person residing as aforesaid, be permitted, without such passport, to visit or go to any camp of the enemy established within the limits of the United States, or elsewhere, or to hold any intercourse with the same, or with any officer belonging thereto; and whosoever shall voluntarily offend against any of the prohibitions aforesaid, mentioned in this section, shall be considered guilty of a misdemeanor, and be liable to be fined in any sum not exceeding one thousand dollars, and to imprisonment for any term not exceeding three years. And every person coming from any of the enemy’s provinces or territory, into the United States, shall report himself forthwith, or as soon as practicable thereafter, to the military commander, or to the collector, or other chief officer of the customs, where there may be no collector, of the district within which he may first arrive; upon pain, wherever the same is omitted, of being liable to the same prosecution and punishment, as is above provided in cases of unlawful intercourse with the enemy, without the authority of a passport.

. And be it further enacted, That any person or persons found hovering upon the frontier, near any of the provinces or territory belonging to the enemy, or of which he may be possessed, or travelling towards and near the same, at a distance from his or their usual place of abode or residence, and without any lawful business requiring his or their attendance there, and without a passport, shall be liable to be held to security for his or their good behaviour, in the manner pointed out in the fourth section of this act, as a person or persons suspected, upon probable cause, of being engaged in unlawful trade or intercourse with the enemy: Provided always, That nothing contained in any part of this act shall be construed to alter, in any respect, the law of treason.

. And be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States, or such other person as he shall have empowered for that purpose, to employ, under proper instructions to be by him given, in cases of resistance, such part of the land and naval forces of the United States, or of the militia thereof, as shall be judged necessary, for the purpose of aiding and co-operating with the officers of the customs, and all other civil magistrates, in seizing and securing persons engaged, or suspected, upon probable cause as aforesaid, to be engaged, in unlawful trade or intercourse with the enemy as aforesaid, together with the articles or supplies, or vessels, boats, vehicles, or animals, employed as aforesaid, in such trade or intercourse, and searching for and seizing any property subject to duty, or which has been unlawfully imported.

. And be it further enacted, That this act shall continue in force during the continuance of the present war between the United States and Great Britain, and no longer: Provided, That the termination of said war shall not be construed to stop or annul any proceedings that may theretofore have been commenced, or concluded, or in any way destroy or impair any rights or privileges accruing under, secured, or given, by virtue of this act, but as applicable to any transaction prior thereto, the same proceedings shall and may be had, as though this act were in full force.

February 4, 1815.